Hamels Struggles Getting the Best of Him

CBSSports.com is reporting that Cole Hamels “can’t wait for it to end.”

One can only assume the season, and although he probably isn’t pushing for a quick conclusion to the current series, Hamel’s frustrations certainly came to a crescendo on Saturday night. As he exited the game, Phillies faithful let Hamels know just how much they appreciated his latest postseason outing, one in which he struggled through 4.1 innings, while giving up five earned runs, via the “boooo.”

Don’t fret, as poorly as Hamels has performed this season and more specifically this post season, the end has already arrived. It is doubtful that Hamels will make another start in this series.

Like I’ve said before, Cole will not remain in Philly much longer, he has WAY too much of a laid back attitude for this town. I’m not even sure he has the competitive edge needed to be a major league pitcher. Probably has the talent, but not the drive.

Hamels can play on the east coast and with this team. He’s shown it before. Last year comes to mind. You couldn’t do anything to rattle Cole last year, but for some reason any little thing that goes wrong seems to get into his head immediately and he is done after that. What the hell happened in the course of a year? He’s got the talent. It’s just between the ears. Sounds familiar, Brad Lidge anyone?

Hamels said he can’t wait for this season to end, that’s it’s been mentally draining, and that he can’t wait for a fresh start next year. Not exactly the words you expect from a key member of your team. He has two more years on the contract he signed after 2008, both at around $8 million I believe. There’s a lot to think about with the future of this guy, but let’s not worry about it right now. There are still three more Ws for this team to get!

Trade the 25 year old, one year removed from one of the greatest postseasons ever, one mediocre season in his career, with a killer changeup, with a passion to become one of the greatest ever, for Bobby Jenks.

“I really do hope I have that opportunity [to pitch game 7],” Hamels said. “It’s one of those games that you can definitely redeem yourself. I would know it’s the very last game that I would ever have that season. It’s not the type of game you want to have in your last game. It’s just kind of something where if you could end it on a good note, why not? Having a Game 7 opportunity that would be mean a lot. I hope my teammates believe in me and want me to be out there for it.”

It’s really hard to figure what is wrong with Hamels. For the first 3 innings last night he was tossing a no-hitter and then he just completely unravelled in the fourth and fifth. Is it a conditioning issue? Does he have a dead arm? Is it mental? Was he afflicted with the swine flu? And why in the world did he start throwing those hanging curve balls? Half of the fans sitting in the stands could have roped that pitch he threw to Pettite for an extra base hit. He’s been an enigma all season. Too early to speculate about next season though. We need a quality start from Joe Blanton tonight. And we need the middle relief to come in and get the job done because I don’t see Blanton going 8 innings.

Manny, I saw his postgame interview on csnphilly, and while that particular statement may have been taken out of context, Cole’s demeanor seemed a bit off for the game he just pitched. He said he thought he threw a pretty good game, only made one mistake, and he was laughing thruout the interview, which I found to be a bit odd. I have supported Cole this season, but, honestly, his attitude, especially last night, left me feeling confused and somewhat let-down.

Jimmy was laughing after the game too, and he has no room to talk either. I hope they are not taking this as lightly as it appears, or maybe I’m expecting them to show more emotion than they should, but I was ticked for MANY reasons after that game, and to see some of the players laughing it off just rubbed me the wrong way.

I agree Georgie… they do that every now and then, and it definitely rubs me the wrong way too… but they’ve always managed to get things done, so I’ll fully trust everything about this team until proven otherwise.

Out of context? Cole Hamels has had head lost in the clouds since LAST October! He’s the guy who said he will ‘turn it up on a bigger stage’. And I don’t buy into the ‘he’s tired’ bull, Joe Blanton’s tired, Cliff Lee is tired, everyone on the team is tired!

Hamels is, put bluntly, one of those guys who reaches a certain level and then become satisfied. He got a nice contract, enough money to last him for the rest of his life. We should send Hamels to a West Coast American League team. He will not bounce back here in Philly. Too soft.
Moreover, we should remember how great he was last year and how important he was to our winning a world championship. Let us not forget.

I agree, it was not a savvy thing to say, and it’s definitely not something I want to hear our star pitcher say. But you have the feel for the guy, I’m sure he feels like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. He has been under-performing all season, then in the playoffs too where he had a chance to redeem himself. I’m sure the inconsistent strike zone frustrated him to a point also. PLUS on top of all of that he just had his first kid which he barely sees and probably doesn’t know how to handle. I’m certainly not making excuses for his performance, I just feel bad for the guy at the moment.

There’s way more than a morsel of hope. CC is pitching on short rest today, and if they can get to him at all and Jumbo Joe pitches like he did in the WS last year we can even it up. Then Lee will take out Burnett in Game 5, putting Pedro in position to close it down at Yankee Stadium, and I can only imagine he’ll be even better in that game. This series is miles and miles from being over.

Kyle drabek will be up in 2 years and trust me this kid will be a star and tommy hanson good his rookie year. Phillies will not be keeping cole much longer he needs to play somewhere no pressure exist. Last year he got lucky with his fastball at 93 and change 79-85 and now 88-91 with a change at 78-84 no speed change. His curve is loopy and really needs a new pitch. i sugest he learns a cutter to leftys to run in on them to not let them sit there waiting for the loopy curve and a fastball. Unless he changes his curve ball and gets another pitch he will NOT be effective again. Also I question his stamina.

Pitching Joe Blanton tonight is a big mistake! Why would you not go with Cliff Lee on 3 days rest so you could start him
again in Game 7 on Thursday (again on 3 days rest). By pitching him on Monday his season will be finished, unless used in relief in Games 6 or 7. Let Blanton or Happ pitch Monday with the series tied at two – much less pressure. Don’t let C.C.
get his confidence back, Chollie. Please change your mind!

Yea Manny after he slaughtered us all year.
Then YOU PEOPLE said hey have to start him. I yelled anyone but him.
Manny I am REALLY ANNOYED at all you people who felt he earned or deserved this. He didnt. We lost. We move on finally.

Hamels was the World Series and LCS MVP of 2008. Even the best have a down year from time to time. Lee was in the minors two years ago and then won a Cy Young and you have seen what he has done for us.

Hamels is not mentally tough. He never will be. Ever. The only way he can overcome that is to pitch well on a consistent basis. Sure he will have a bad game from time to time but one bad game is ok, a string or season of them is not. Hamels has the talent and determination to be great, he just needs to develop the arsenal to support that drive. He will do it. He is to vain not too.

Step back for a second, and think about this: Not starting Cole Hamels on a World Series game? C’mon, we were debating whether he should’ve started Game 1 or not a week ago… and then he got to start Game 3 in the end. I really can’t blame anyone for giving him a start. We know how Charlie works, and he’s not a “what have you done for me lately” type of guy… and SO FAR, it has worked –no matter what ANYONE says– because here we are in the middle of the World f*cking series for a second year in a row.

Now, if you start Hamels in a potential Game 7… that’s a whole other issue.

Andrew, use your head for one season and not your emotions. If someone gave me the option of Hamels would winning us a world series and LCS MVP in 08 but in return he would be absolute garbage the following year and yet your team will still get back to the World Series. Or Hamels will be great two years in a row with not guarantee of a title, I would pick option A every single time. It would be awesome if Hamels was great every year but few people are ever that good, that consistently. You need to understand that before you rip the guy.

You go Hollywood. You go Hollywood.
Sean Penn and Jack Nicholson arent coming back. Keep dreaming.
If somehow we overcome Cole Chambles and win the series Hollywood will offer him more comercials. Thats what Hollywood does.

If you had the chance to get paid to do commercials you would do it too. Make the money while you can because tomorrow it could all be over. I don’t blame Hamels for doing commercials. So be it. Keep in mind that I do not particularly like Hamels at all but I also don’t get why people are attacking him as a person. Makes no sense.

As a person?
I am tired of excuses I am tired of commercials.
I am 100% behind Blanton tonight. I was 100% behind Cole last night.

When what you make for commercials affetcts that you suck at your profession. Its an issue.

Do the red carpet and commercials. Then pitch well. When I see you on the Entourage premier red carpet and you are the worst pitcher on the team its an issue. Compounded by the fact that you started opening day and are the supposed ace.

Is it me…or is the Phillies Nation looking to tar and feather Cole Hamels and run him out of town on a rail where just LAST World Series youse guys loved and REVERED this guy.If you are steadfast and really believe he’ll be a liability TRADE him to my Amazins.I’ll gladly take him behind Santana.Last I checked Cole even called my Amazins “Choke Artists” but yet he still pitched in 2 World Series.Be grateful you have someone with a lot of potential pressure or not.

I didn’t know that we have the ability to trade members of our favorite baseball team. I called the Mets worse than that mister Miner. I have a couple thousand epithets for the Mets and their fans. (minus you of course)

Andrew…if YOU think that I accept my Amazins either Losing or Choking and am content and complacent with it…..you need to think again.2006-2008 They had plenty of potential and should have won it all in 2006,also 2007 and 2008 when it came down to the very last game and needed to win just one game and make it to the playoffs,They didn’t BOTTOM LINE.2009 was injury ridden and yet I do congratulate the Phillies for being the better team the last 3 season,WHY because they were the better team.No need to argue that.I honestly believe as constructed today…the Nationals will pass my Amazins in 2010 and they will be in dead last.For me,its gonna get worse before it gets better.Not happy about it….but anyway.BTW theres a reason why the Cubs are known as the “Loveable Losers” after 101 years without a title,all the Cubs care about is money,not the fanbase.

Since the Phillies lost yesterday and are now in a huge 2 games to 1 hole in the World Series, I realized the error of my ways. Here is what needs to be done in the offseason:

Rollins: Trade him because he was laughing after the loss.
Utley: Trade him because he threw the ball into the stands in LA.
Howard: Trade him because you need to get what you can for him before he leaves
Werth: Trade him for Bobby Jenks
Hamels: Trade him because he was a .500 pitcher this year and he doesn’t talk like a tough guy
Happ: Trade him because he hasn’t been the same pitcher since he was injured
Madson: He will never be a closer so trade him

Build aroung Bastardo, Taylor, Brown, Drabek and the prospects you get in the above trades

It makes me laugh that people pose the serious fact that Chambles sucks and again his mafia says hey trade all of them in a sarcastic way.
I have never seen such a terrible player in a given year get this much support. How many years of killing the team makes up for 2008?
2019 he starts game 3 of any given playoff series? I mean he was World series MVP.
Steve Carlton has a pulse he could be brought in. I think he is probably more effective too.

You mention the booing when Hamels left. I was at that game. The audience was OK with him in the 4th; everybody has a bad inning now and then. But when he led off the 5th giving up a double, there was something interesting that I’m sure the TV cameras didn’t pick up: I looked over at the bullpen, to see who was warming up, but nobody was. the guy next to me laughed and commented that everyone was looking, and I looked up and saw what he was talking about. You could see all over the stadium, most of the heads were toward the bullpen, not the diamond.

WOW
OK
The phils won last year so he has a lifetime pass to be the worst player on the team and start game 2 or 3 in every playoff series for the forseeable future.
Just checking. I dont like to lose. But the fans seem to like it so be it. Start him game 7.
Can one of you in the Chambles mafia just tell me this. When is enough enough? 5 years of being the worst pitcher on the team? Who is handed post season starts? 10 years? 15? 20?
just wondering.

OR.. since people that know baseball expected Hamels to struggle this season, after having such an increase in Innings Pitched last year ….. why are we going to give up on 25-year-old kid who is LOADED WITH TALENT, for having a sub-par follow up season to his Championship-season?

Maybe he’s done for the year.. Happ can get a start if it comes back around to him

But to blast Hamels is just being petty, and ignorant for what he did last year …

I’m 26 years old, and thanks to Cole Hamels, I got to see a Championship last year …. I’m not going to trade him because he’s not leading us to a 2nd one right now .. I’d rather wait, let him get his full-rest in the offseason, and see him bounce-back next season

But if everyone is sure that he’s spent for his entire career, maybe we should start a list going of everyone that wants to trade him right now .. then next year, we’ll look back and see who regrets voting YES

He doesn’t get a lifetime pass .. but he gets a year, without a doubt .

“ACE” .. yea, he was Phucking AWESOME last year in guiding us to the World Series .. but its a shame it took all of his arm strength to pitch so well in the 2008 playoffs .. it really set him back for this year, but of course it was well worth it

Ok I am truely not knowledgable. At least I am learing here.
How many years though? How many years can a below .500 pitcher on a world series team continue to lose games in every series? 5? 10? 15?
Why do you and Cole feel entitled to start when you were the 6th best starter all year? Last night? Moyer looks good no?
One of you who expected and knew this was coming tell me how many years. I didnt expect him to be under .500 with a league average ERA.
But dont take me seriously.
answer?
I am hoping its to the low side.

Hamels deserves to be reemed but trading a 25 year old who won a WS MVP in what his second year? I’m sure Rueben doesn’t want to be the laugh stock of the league which is what he’d be giving up on that potenial. Not like their isn’t always a premiun on starting pitching.

You’re raving, Andrew. A 4.32 ERA isn’t what you want from your ace but it’s hardly the “the worst player on the team.” He’s had one off year and you start invoking the specter of him stinking 5-15 years. Overreact much? You don’t accept losing? How did you make it from 1993-2008 as a Phillies fan without giving yourself a heart attack and/or murdering Pat Burrell?
Here, read this: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/tom_verducci/04/07/yearafter.effect/index.html

Ok, look guys, it was a tough loss last night, no doubt…but I think we all knew it was going to be a long series anyhow, and after all somebody had to win Game 3, it just happened to not be the Phillies. If they win tonight, then suddenly we’re back in business. We’ve got Lee going in Game 5, so you’d have to think the advantage lies with us there, so then bam, if all goes as planned, we just have to find a way to win one of two in New York and we repeat as champions!! As for Hamels, I agree he probably shouldn’t start another game this series, but to talk of trading him is just silly. He’s got too much talent and potential for that…

I’m pretty sure Andrew was on here before the start of the postseason raving about the “below .500” record for Hamels

and multiple people tried to explain how a pitchers W-L record isn’t the most accurate indicator of his season.. his 4.32 ERA or whatever it was.. wasn’t great by any means, but isn’t bad at all

It means that he went out and gave his team (THE BEST OFFENSE IN THE NL) a chance to WIN almost every time he took the hill ..

…
I think most people were just bitching.. I was pissed that he had yet another lousy start too, but for people to suggest trading him.. and then backing up that statement with more ridiculous comments shows a lack of baseball knowledge

Andrew shows a lack of appreciation and a lack of class on this Hamels’ subject… I, for one, am tired of having to defend our entire roster everytime we lose a god damn game..

This is the best Phillies team in our 126 year history as an organization.. with a chance to win Back to Back World Series titles .. so enough with the “lets trade so-and-so” talk because none of the guys on the farm will ever do what this group is doing now .. this is a once-in-a-lifetime run .. You don’t know what you got til its gone

Joedad – agreed….it just that another go thru the line-up and it’s pretty hard to mix it up with just a 4 seamer and a change-up. I think you can do if have a good two-seamer like Burnett or a sinker like Cook. Both are great pitches but guys often get burned with them when they can’t control the movement or sink and give up alot of BB or are forced to throw into the middle of the plate. That why i was hoping to see Hamels get it up into the mid 90’s last night because then he could power thru the line-up for a few a innings. By the 3rd inning his velocity was dropping into the 87-89 region…the pitch selection in the inning of doom however that was just stupid. Ruiz is also a guilty party in that fiasco.

I agree this is a very special team. But I also understand the venting on here re Hamels. Let’s face it – he has turned in a lousy outing every single time he has taken the mound this postseason. As I said in my post above, we don’t know exactly what the issue(s) is with him. BUT, his body language during the game and some of his post-game comments are cause for any Phillies fan to shake his or her head in disgust because he is hurting this very special team with his me-first attitude. At one point during the game, the camera caught him in the dugout with his head reclined as if he were ready to take a nap. I don’t recall seeing that type of bored, self-absorbed detachment last postseason. Furthermore, his comments to the media that he just wants this season to be over are incredibly selfish and insinuate that since he is not performing well he could care less whether the team wins. His teammates and us fans deserve much better. Seriously, he does not deserve do be defended for this, no matter how well he might have performed last year. Now i guarantee you won’t see any of that childish nonsense from Blanton tonight. He will head out to the mound with his lunchpail and pitch his ass off like he does every start.

lets not take Hamels out of context either.. he clearly doesn’t want the season to end FOR THE TEAM.. he means HIS SEASON

He realizes he’s not getting the job done right now.. time to rest, reset, and get back out there for next season is what he needs

He’s not the ME-FIRST player that we all want to pretend he is … he’s a guy with crazy-talent.. and the proven ability to win BIG GAMES.

…
C.C. Sabathia coming off full-rest, and going on short-rest is usually very good … expect him to be sharp tonight, hopefully our 2-3-4 hitters can get something going, and the guys carrying us so far Werth, and Ruiz .. can hit with people on base!

Well that’s just foolish on Hamels part. Ruiz clearly knows what he is doing. Ruiz should have walked out to the mound…(did he) and told Hamels to just put his pride inside and let Ruiz guide him through it. That is what catchers, good one’s can do. Guys like Ruiz and Varitek are hard to come by. Maybe not the best offensive catchers but definitely among the best game callers there is.

“camera caught him in the dugout with his head reclined as if he were ready to take a nap” – that was when the Phils were batting in the bottom of the first. Pitchers usually don’t pay attention when their team is hitting because they want to stay focused on pitching. To me it looked like he was relaxed and confident similar to Lee in game 1. He pitched a lights out 1st inning.

People are just looking for things to knock him down because he doesn’t talk like a tough guy or because he made money making commercials or because he married a hot chick and had a baby or because he has stinky feet. If he was self-absorbed as some of you claim, he would have taken a tougher stance on contract negotiations last year. He took a lower than market value deal. Tell me what is self absorbed about that.

Who is to say that he isn’t just embarrassed at the way he is pitching and doesn’t like the way he is letting his team down?

Ed R. – yeah, that’s what i thought too. I just didn’t know until I heard about it. Apparently in an interview he said that he keep shaking off Ruiz. I couldn’t believe it . I don’t think Ruiz went to the mound which if he didn’t he should of…maybe that was out of ’08 WS MVP respect. Did Dubee come out of after the 3 consecutive curveballs to below the Mendoza line Swisher? I can’t remember. He should have if he didn’t. What is weird is that what’s burned him against Manny…but those were change-ups and cost him two runs. I can understand if a guy hangs a pitch or misses his spot but not for making such tatical guffaws like that. Hamels gets the Spicoli Award for that crap. Still like you said eariler you don’t trade him.

Watching those cheesey Comcast commercials starring yours truly ”Cole Hamels lastnight, after he came out the game really made me want to throw my beer at the TV…Cole is SO fuking overrated, its not even funny! I, myself am tired also of sticking up for his ass. Before the game started, I was telling everyone ”Watch! Hamels is going to pitch the game of his career”. Of course I was laughed at this morning, but I’m sure not as bad as he was for that awful performance.

We should keep in mind that Hamels, by baseball standards, was rushed into the Show. Maybe we are seeing fallout from that. The monor leagues are there for pitchers to learn not only gamemanship but secondary pitches…the Bigs is not the place, unless your on the Pirates, that you want to experiment with new pitches.

Why would you think Hamels would pitch the game of his life? Nothing pointed to that happening. Don’t be pissed at him because he can’t back your outlandish predictions 😉

The Phils couldn’t afford Lee and Halladay past next year. Lee will get $20 million plus when his contract is up if he pitches like he is capable next year. I’d love to see Halladay here next year but not at the expense of Hamels.

j reed, I dreamed the same thing just after getting Lee this year, hoping a miraclulous acquisition of Halladay. Would have been sweet. I haven’t though about the offseason much. It will depend if they win it all this year IMO

Im raving? He didnt earn any of these starts. He has sucked in each and every one. couldnt Moyer or basicly any person have pitched similar. Yup i am pissed.
I dont understand how this happened. I know the old man is loyal but be loyal to the guys who go you here. Chambles did not. when under .500 teams start getting to the series he may be the man then.
I didnt think he earned a start in the post season. and hes pitched like it. Pedro has 2 good starts in the postseason. I expcet one from balnton tongiht.
What gets me is that to me its unjustifiable. Except that the old man will trot out the same old same old. Liek lee getting full rest. I can repect that. But Moyer Happ and Blanton and Pedro all earned it more this year.
I wonder what kind of endorsements Chambles will get now.

Hes got value now. Hes a hollywood head case. We have Jennifer Tilly as one of our top end pitchers. I dont see it working out.
Be like watching Jon Runyan commercials during the game he let strahan get 7 sacks. its a bit annoying.

The thing about the A-Rod double is simple. The umps made up a ground rule that anything that hits a camera is a home run. Their reasoning behind it is that they do not control what the cameraman does with the camera. That reasoning is a lie. They do control what the camerman does with the camera, they are moving him back for game 4 and they also control what the cameraman does with the camera by having instant replay. Instant replay can check to see where the camerman is, the umps don’t need to make up a ground rule about cameras. That ground rule that the umps made up is inconsistent with having instant replay. And they used the instant replay to uphold a bogus rule that should only be in effect when they do not have instant replay. That is why the call is bogus.

The ground rule that the umps made up is inconsistent with having instant replay. The rule states that any ball hitting a camera is a home run because the umps do not control the camerman. That is only true when the umps do not have instant replay. Because the umps have instant replay their reasoning behind the ground rule is a lie and the ground rule is illegal.

The reasoning behind the ground rule is only valid when the umps do not have access to instant replay. If they do not have access to instant replay they cannot control what the camerman does. If they do have access to instant replay they can control what the cameraman does by checking the instant replay to make the correct call. Because the reasoning behind the ground rule was invalid the ground rule is illegal, because they used instant replay to uphold it, a clear contradiction.

Andrew don’t tell me that even if he were available you’d put moyer out there to face the Yankees…maybe he earned it but that would be disasterous….that said if Happ hadn’t reinjured his oblique, I’d be all for Happ and benching Hamels. Since he re-injured it he hasn’t had any good outings and has in the post season thrown himself in batter’s counts way too many times. Granted Hamels has been horrid but as far as we know is health hasn’t been compromised. Happ’s stuff looks flat, lacks finish and any bite. However if we get to a game seven I’d go Happ over Hamels. That’s a no brainer at this point. As to getting rid of Hamels just because his value is high is short sighted unless you get an offer you can’t refuse. What do you think we can get in return?

Schmidt on the Good Phight Blog there are some interesting points made about this subject in the comment section of last night’s game recap. scroll about half way down the page. Also another contradiction involves fan interference. If the umps are allowed to make rule before the game then that rule shouldn’t contradict or dispute another established rule which in this case could be fan interference rule.

I read the comments on phight blog, but nobody is stating it the way I am stating it. Gerry Davis said they do not control the cameras so they made the ground rule. They do control the cameras that is what instant replay is.
Instant replay=control of cameras
Rule is illegal.

chuckS – yeah Blanton is more than capable to keep the game winnable. I paniced last night and thought Lee thinking Lee could go on three day rest two times in a row. Not that he couldn’t but never has….the “never has side” of the equation is an unknown and quite a gamble

Yeah, Hamels is a real bargain at $8million a year. ROI = 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA. That’s mediocre at best. Second, Hamels’ season ends when the Phillies season ends. Not before, not after. Give me a break, don’t defend his self-centered bullshit.